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Shoulders

Single Arm Smith Machine Press

The Single Arm Smith Machine Press is a strength exercise in a Smith machine for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: front delts 33%, side delts 17% and triceps (lateral head) 10%.

Level: IntermediateEquipment: Smith machineMulti-joint (compound)Unilateral: one arm or leg at a time

How to do it

  1. Place an upright bench inside a smith machine so the bar lowers just in front of your face.
  2. Set the bar at about shoulder height when seated and sit with your back against the pad.
  3. Grip the bar with one hand at the centre, directly over your shoulder, and hold the bench with the other.
  4. Unhook the bar and press it up until the arm is straight.
  5. Lower it under control to shoulder height, then rehook and switch sides after the set.

Tips

  • Place the hand slightly off centre toward the working side so the forearm stays vertical.
  • Set the safety stops just below shoulder height.

Common mistakes

  • Rotating the torso to push with one side.
  • Gripping too far off centre so the bar twists.
  • Forgetting to rehook the bar before letting go.

Muscles worked by the Single Arm Smith Machine Press

  • Front delts Primary33%
  • Side delts Secondary17%
  • Triceps (lateral head) Secondary10%
  • Triceps (long head) Secondary8%
  • Upper traps Minor7%
  • Triceps (medial head) Secondary6%
  • Obliques Minor6%
  • Serratus anterior Minor6%
  • Upper chest Minor5%
  • Rear delts Stabilizer2%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

Seated removes most of the trunk demand. An offset load has to be resisted by the trunk. Fixed path, little stabilising. Pressing overhead is shoulder flexion and abduction with elbow extension: the front delt leads, the lateral delt and triceps assist, and the upper traps and serratus rotate the shoulder blade up.

Single Arm Smith Machine Press alternatives

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Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Single Arm Smith Machine Press work?

Mainly the front delts. The side delts, triceps (lateral head), triceps (long head) and triceps (medial head) assist.

Is the Single Arm Smith Machine Press good for beginners?

The Single Arm Smith Machine Press is rated intermediate. If you are new, learn the Single Arm Machine Shoulder Press first and build up from there.

What is a good alternative to the Single Arm Smith Machine Press?

For example the Single Arm Machine Shoulder Press, Single Arm Overhead Press and Machine Overhead Press Seated. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

How do you make the Single Arm Smith Machine Press harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Barbell Z Press and Z Press.

Sources

  • Saeterbakken and Fimland 2013, JSCR 27(7):1824-1831 (standing, seated, barbell, dumbbell)

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